This invention relates to aryl fused azapolycyclic compounds, as defined more specifically by formula I below. Compounds of formula I bind to neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine specific receptor sites and are useful in modulating cholinergic function. Such compounds are useful in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (including but not limited to ulcerative colitis, pyoderma gangrenosum and Crohn's disease), irritable bowel syndrome, spastic dystonia, chronic pain, acute pain, celiac sprue, pouchitis, vasoconstriction, anxiety, panic disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, autism, sleep disorders, jet lag, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), cognitive dysfunction, hypertension, bulimia, anorexia, obesity, cardiac arrhythmias, gastric acid hypersecretion, ulcers, pheochromocytoma, progressive supranuclear palsy, chemical dependencies and addictions (e.g., dependencies on, or addictions to nicotine (and/or tobacco products), alcohol, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, opioids or cocaine), headache, stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), obsessive-compulsive disorder, psychosis, Huntington's Chorea, tardive dyskinesia, hyperkinesia, dyslexia, schizophrenia, multi-infarct dementia, age related cognitive decline, epilepsy, including petit mal absence epilepsy, senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and Tourette's Syndrome.
The compounds of this invention may also be used in combination with an antidepressant such as, for example, a tricyclic antipressant or a serotonin reuptake inhibiting antidepressant (SRI), in order to treat both the cognitive decline and depression associated with AD, PD, stroke, Huntington's Chorea or traumatic brain injury (TBI); in combination with muscarinic agonists in order to stimulate both central muscarinic and nicotinic receptors for the treatment, for example, of ALS, cognitive dysfunction, age related cognitive decline, AD, PD, stroke, Huntington's Chorea and TBI; in combination with neurotrophic factors such as NGF in order to maximize cholinergic enhancement for the treatment, for example, of ALS, cognitive dysfunction, age related cognitive decline, AD, PD stroke, Hungtington's Chorea and TBI; or in combination with agents that slow or arrest AD such as cognition enhancers, amyloid aggregation inhibitors, secretase inhibitors, tau kinase inhibitors, neuronal antiinflammatory agents and estrogen-like therapy.
Other compounds that bind to neuronal nicotinic receptor sites are referred to in U.S. patent application 08/963,852, which was filed on Nov. 4, 1997, and in U.S. Provisional Patent application 60/070,245, which was filed on Dec. 31, 1997. Both of the foregoing applications are owned in common with the present application, and both are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.